What’s just as exciting as strolling down the red carpet come Oscar Season? Product placement producer Debbie Durkin’s annual EcoLuxe Lounge Eco Oscars event. On Saturday February 21st at the Beverly Hilton’s Stardust Penthouse, Durkin once again honored the film community and introduced a bevy of exciting new luxury eco-friendly brands in a fantastic day-long event.

The beautiful roof top venue was styled by glamping and event rental specialists Under Canvas, with stellar support from Elan Event Rentals, LBPS Events, and Frances Lynn Creative Florals. The view from the penthouse deck was provided by the clear blue skies of Beverly Hills.

Attendees included Oscar nominees and winners such as Ben Wilkins – who received the Oscar for Best Sound Mixing on the indie favorite Whiplash, Elise Roberston, Elizabeth Yianni-Georgiou, The Theory of Everything producer Lisa Bruce, Hercules star Kevin Sorbo, Frank Stallone, Nia Peeples, Carolyn Hennesy and many more Hollywood guests representing films from Guardians of the Galaxy to American Sniper.

Mimosas, champagne, and trays of delicious eats from spinach quiche to stuffed mushrooms rotated through the room, while VIPs grooved to the mixes of DJ Dime.

Guests were treated to a styling bar, organic spray tans, and make-up from OC Hair & Makeup, who also gifted gorgeous O.P.I. nail polish and trendy HAI MP3 flat irons that can hold two hours of music. Never get bored while styling your hair again!

Under Canvas offered luxury tent event rentals and glamping vacation options from deluxe safari tents to tipis perched in some of the most stunning locations in the U.S., including Glacier National Park, Yellowstone National Park, and Moab, Utah near Arches National Park. Having glamped myself on several occasions, these offerings look like an amazing addition to this vacationing style.

Need to bring your four legged friend along on your travels? CanaDog Supply had guests fixed up with sleek #DogPower T-shirts, collapsible and portable water bowls, leashes and collars. Beautifully crafted KD Pet Protector charms were another pet-centric item sure to please pets and their humans alike. And should Fido need to stay home, Gardena-based Camp Run-A-Mutt provided gift certificates for free doggie daycare. There were also gift certificates for hand crafted dog collars by Let There Be Collars, and complimentary services at Animal Healing & Wellness including healing Reiki for dogs and cats. Holistic Pet Solutions products were also served up with style.

For a scented refresher, BluBond offered lovely and soothing rose water – wonderful as both an addition to a drink and for skin toning.

Event sponsor Choices Recovery, a substance abuse treatment center, offered interviews and information about the challenges of dealing with substance abuse. Choices offers holistic options for addiction treatment. The Say Yes to Hope Beat Liver Tumors organization which aids in the fight against liver cancer was the charitable beneficiary for this event.

While producer Durkin is well known for merging ecologically conscious brands with the luxury lifestyle, this was a special event – everything about the Eco Oscars party glittered and shone. Not one to rest on her laurels, she’s already planning her #RocknRolla event to celebrate the Movie Awards/Road to Coachella on April 8, 2015.

Opened in late autumn 2014, Cardamom is a delightful new venue for sophisticated Indian cuisine in Los Angeles. Located not far from LACMA and the Grove on Beverly Boulevard, Cardamom was once the home of India’s Oven. Cardamom bears no resemblance to that venue, save the original ironwork door. The design is bright and sleek, with an open interior that includes colorful modern art on the walls, crisp white linens, and a dynamic, attractive open bar area.

Consulting chef Manju Choudhury, one of the U.K.’s top chefs, is all about freshness, and the name of the restaurant reflects that. Cardamom, is of course a spice, and reportedly one of the chef’s favorites. It is also a spice growing region in India, from which the chef purchases the spices used in the restaurant, grinding them in-house to retain the freshness of the coriander, cumin, and, naturally, cardamom.

Open Monday to Sunday for lunch and dinner daily, this contemporary spot serves up diverse dishes not found in your average LA Indian restaurant – items such as spicy and sour prawns, or eggplant in a rich and creamy tomato sauce studded with tender mushrooms. Every sauce is made fresh daily, and there are no preservatives. Vegetables too are fresh, local and varied.

For a birthday dinner, the evening began with complimentary naan bread accompanied by a wonderful relish tray of sauces including mango chutney, yogurt mint, and tamarind sauce. As an appetizer, the varied tastes of the Tuk Tuk platter is a good way to enjoy an introduction to a variety of flavors. Highlights include a sweet onion piaza, made from crisp deep fried onions coated in a subtly sweet paprika lentil batter. Perfectly spiced vegetables inside airy pastry shells were also a part of the platter, and served with date and tamarind chutney. Our favorite was the Chutneywala Paneer, grilled cottage cheese stuffed with pickling spices and topped with a mint chutney that’s simply sublime.

The naan bread is also a special treat. Peshwari naan has a sweet touch from added coconut, and it goes splendidly with spicy dishes. The light and fluffy garlic naan beautifully accompanies vegetable and seafood dishes. The mater paneer, long a favorite, was exceptional, light, house-made cottage cheese tossed with green peas and simmered in a richly flavorful yet somehow not heavy sauce. The Zafran Pilau, basmati rice with saffron and lemon, that accompanied the dish was delightful. Tandoor Jhinga Masala – tiger prawns in masala sauce – is the kind of dish that diners will devour down to the last bite of sauce. Keep the naan handy.

Dessert, never a strong suit in many Indian restaurants, is an experience of delicate flavors here. The Gulab Jamun, cheese dumplings in a sweet, saffron-rich syrup are surprisingly light and airy. Mango and pistachio with rose water ice creams are a beautiful finish.

The most noticeable component of all these dishes is the light yet well spiced composition of the sauces and toppings. Nothing oily or overly spiced, here. Another noticeable aspect of the cuisine served is the reliance on the restaurant’s tandoor oven, whose natural clay creates delicious flavors without the need to add oils or fats.

Despite the quality cuisine and the overall elegance of the restaurant, prices are reasonable, and the restaurant features an express lunch menu that includes an appetizer, chutney, naan, and one main dish that is possibly one of the best deals in town for upscale dining in the restaurant, or a great lunch at the office.

The wine list is exceptional, a Sunset Sauvignon Blanc that was suggested to accompany our meal was an expert pairing.

Cardamom is located at 7233 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles.
Opened in late autumn 2014, Cardamom is a delightful new venue for sophisticated Indian cuisine in Los Angeles. Located not far from LACMA and the Grove on Beverly Boulevard, Cardamom was once the home of India’s Oven. Cardamom bears no resemblance to that venue, save the original ironwork door. The design is bright and sleek, with an open interior that includes colorful modern art on the walls, crisp white linens, and a dynamic, attractive open bar area.

Consulting chef Manju Choudhury, one of the U.K.’s top chefs, is all about freshness, and the name of the restaurant reflects that. Cardamom, is of course a spice, and reportedly one of the chef’s favorites. It is also a spice growing region in India, from which the chef purchases the spices used in the restaurant, grinding them in-house to retain the freshness of the coriander, cumin, and, naturally, cardamom.

Open Monday to Sunday for lunch and dinner daily, this contemporary spot serves up diverse dishes not found in your average LA Indian restaurant – items such as spicy and sour prawns, or eggplant in a rich and creamy tomato sauce studded with tender mushrooms. Every sauce is made fresh daily, and there are no preservatives. Vegetables too are fresh, local and varied.

For a birthday dinner, the evening began with complimentary naan bread accompanied by a wonderful relish tray of sauces including mango chutney, yogurt mint, and tamarind sauce. As an appetizer, the varied tastes of the Tuk Tuk platter is a good way to enjoy an introduction to a variety of flavors. Highlights include a sweet onion piaza, made from crisp deep fried onions coated in a subtly sweet paprika lentil batter. Perfectly spiced vegetables inside airy pastry shells were also a part of the platter, and served with date and tamarind chutney. Our favorite was the Chutneywala Paneer, grilled cottage cheese stuffed with pickling spices and topped with a mint chutney that’s simply sublime.

The naan bread is also a special treat. Peshwari naan has a sweet touch from added coconut, and it goes splendidly with spicy dishes. The light and fluffy garlic naan beautifully accompanies vegetable and seafood dishes. The mater paneer, long a favorite, was exceptional, light, house-made cottage cheese tossed with green peas and simmered in a richly flavorful yet somehow not heavy sauce. The Zafran Pilau, basmati rice with saffron and lemon, that accompanied the dish was delightful. Tandoor Jhinga Masala – tiger prawns in masala sauce – is the kind of dish that diners will devour down to the last bite of sauce. Keep the naan handy.

Dessert, never a strong suit in many Indian restaurants, is an experience of delicate flavors here. The Gulab Jamun, cheese dumplings in a sweet, saffron-rich syrup are surprisingly light and airy. Mango and pistachio with rose water ice creams are a beautiful finish.

The most noticeable component of all these dishes is the light yet well spiced composition of the sauces and toppings. Nothing oily or overly spiced, here. Another noticeable aspect of the cuisine served is the reliance on the restaurant’s tandoor oven, whose natural clay creates delicious flavors without the need to add oils or fats.

Despite the quality cuisine and the overall elegance of the restaurant, prices are reasonable, and the restaurant features an express lunch menu that includes an appetizer, chutney, naan, and one main dish that is possibly one of the best deals in town for upscale dining in the restaurant, or a great lunch at the office.

The wine list is exceptional, a Sunset Sauvignon Blanc that was suggested to accompany our meal was an expert pairing.

Coconut is considered a super food these days. People say it’s helpful with weight loss and provides a fantastic source of fiber, is hypo-allergenic, and help boost immunity and fight disease. Plus it’s gluten-free, and free of trans-fats.

So what’s not to love? Coconut oil is great to cook and bake with, and a little goes a long way. Shredded coconut is a great topping. You can drink coconut milk, or coconut water. And many do, as coconut water is a potent hydrating agent after physical activity. Make curry with coconut milk. Add it to salad dressings, soups, or smoothies…

BUT.

If you’re a little lazy about cooking, or not keen on coconut water, there’s an alternative that’s really incredibly tasty, simple, and I’m sipping some right now. CAcafe coconut coffee, cocoa, and tea. I’m having the green tea at the moment, but I confess, the rich cocoa is my favorite. No need at all to add milk or creamer of any kind; available both sweetened and unsweetened, this instant drink far exceeded our expectations for flavor. Made in the U.S., the beverage is available in pre-measured, just-add-water to-go cups, or in containers, where, yes, you have to use a spoon to scoop it out.

Now, no matter how busy you are, there’s the coconut you need and the taste of the beverage you crave. Have to say that after trying the CAcafe brand cocoa, there’s no going back to a pre-packaged, preservative-filled alternative.

There’s no preservatives in CAcafe. It’s just coconut and pure cane sugar or no sugar at all along with green tea, Columbian coffee, or that cocoa.

It’s not only delicious, it’s a big energy boost, and gets rid of those snack cravings, too. In short, try it, you’ll like it.

It’s available on line at www.cacafe.com and at most Costco stores. But expect to find it everywhere soon, and remember you heard about it here!

It was a star studded Stardust Penthouse Sunday the 24th at the Beverly Hilton, where producer Debbie Durkin once again combined luxury with green living. The EcoLuxe Lounge honoring the 66th Emmy Awards nominees and presenters, also raised both funds and awareness for Los Angeles Big Brothers/Big Sisters. The organization’s individual mentorship program opens the door to personal relationships that improve children’s lives for the better.

What could be cooler than that? Tasty appetizers from the hotel’s hip Circa 55 were passed, great tunes were spun, and White Lotus Productions created a beautiful outdoor deck space for celebrating when the non-stop awesome gifting was done.

As always, the point of these gatherings is to introduce new, exciting, and eco-aware brands while honoring the entertainment community, and supporting a worthy charity. The stars showed up, including Orange Is The New Black stars Alysia Reiner and Madeline Brewer, Elliot Gould (Ray Donovan), Patrick Gallagher (Night at the Museum), and Scott Bailey (The Bay), among others.

People and pets were feted with great products such as O.P.I. nail polish, sleek Serengeti sunglasses, and super tasty VyPassetti Cake Pops – try the chocolate covered oreo. FreshBody.com products including Fresh Balls and Fresh Feet, and all natural cosmetic sponges from Jandre were joined by KellyAnn Novak’s purely amazing Youth Eternal 100% natural skin care oil. A mix of 22 essential oils in a formula Ms. Novak took years to perfect, cell regenerating virgin coconut, apricot kernel, carrot seed, rose hip, lemon oil, myrrh, rosemary, lavender, and other oils form an alternative to invasive chemical based anti-aging treatments.

Luxurious eco-friendly items went beyond the skin, with workout posture gear from AlignMed, and Mark Roscoe’s amazing pure silk men’s ties – a rainbow of beauty that will help any man “tie one on.” Mark Roscoe’s designer gowns were on display for the ladies, too. That Mark Roscoe tie would look amazing with the men’s designer shirts available from Armani Wells, a Studio City shop with fashion forward men’s wear for both formal and casual occasions. Based in Orange County, the traveling hair and make-up pros behind OC Hair and Make Up offered their services and a glamorous nail pack.

Feline and canine friends weren’t forgotten either. Baylee Nasco offered delightful, soft, faux-fur patterned pet blankets. Canine Caviar served up probiotic, organic food both wet and dry for Fluffy and Fido with its stellar canine and feline caviar pet meals. They’ll be licking their lips over flavors like organic chicken, sweet potato, and spinach. And The Rein Coat’s dog-calming breathable coat was the fashion accessory that also has emotional health benefits for pups of all sizes.

From a stunning skyline view of LA to the perfect, eco-friendly gifting, the EcoLuxe Lounge brought out people, pets – yes, Ms. Durkins own precious pup made an appearance along with other leashed ones – and the best in charitable giving. Another award winning scene played out in Beverly Hills.

Looking for an eco-friendly vacation that let’s you leave your car behind? How about delicious organic cuisine that includes a fabulous vegetarian plate to rival any Michelin 5 Star? What about a hotel that utilizes an historic spot, recreates it, recycles artistically, and lets you luxuriate?

All aboard then for the wonderful La Posada Hotel in Winslow, Arizona. Winslow was once a bustling railroad town, and Amtrak still stops on the way to Chicago or LA outside the hotel’s back door. But today the town is a sleepy enclave on the cusp of becoming an artistic hub in the Arizona desert, the site of small galleries and shops, and “Standin’ on the Corner Park” which commemorates the Jackson Browne/Eagles song “Take It Easy.”

La Posada is a wildly gorgeous hotel, with a fascinating history. The hotel began as a wealthy hacienda, re-imagined by renowned architect Mary Elizabeth Jane Colter as one of the last of the Harvey House hotels, which served railroad passengers. The hotel opened to great fanfare and terrible timing in Depression Era 1930, and closed in 1959. The railroad took over, gutted it into office space, eventually abandoning it to ruin.

Fortunately, owners Allan Affeldt and Tina Mion fell in love with the place in 1997 and have been recreating an elegant and just-about-perfect 53 room hotel, replete with art galleries, sculptures, murals, and gardens. And oh yes, trains rolling picturesquely down the tracks outside the hotel’s back lawn.

Never fear, it was built with care, and you won’t be awakened by the rattling of the locomotives. But you can sit out on a bench and both star and train gaze simultaneously. Or you can choose to stroll through the hotel and make note of antique furnishings, a sunken garden, serene fountains, and the La Posada Madonna, a brilliant contemporary sculpture designed by artists Verne and Christy Lucero.

Of course, you may not want to leave your room. Each room is different, filled with antiques, tile and tin mirrors, heavy wood desks or tables, blissful, handcrafted beds. The Southwestern style is artistic and unique, there is nothing here that hasn’t been chosen with love.

And speaking of love, you can find plenty of eco-friendly love for your palate at the world class restaurant, a destination in and of itself, known as The Turquoise Room. Helmed by Chef John Sharpe offers organically sourced, cutting edge cuisine for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Start your dining experience with a fabulous frozen margarita and then enjoy a three course meal that you’ll be talking about until your next visit. From the Maytag Blue Cheese Salad to the fragrant Hazlenut Brownie with Coffee Ice Cream, meals here are meant to be lingered over. Beneath the warm glow of hand-painted stained glass panels, enjoy refined dishes such as the uniquely delightful vegetarian Killer Vegetable Platter that includes an amazing wild mushroom corn custard and a mild chili stuffed with three cheeses among its taste sensations. Don’t miss the signature soups, heirloom tomato salad, or fresh salmon, either.

The hotel’s 53 rooms are each furnished individually, but all feature hand-built southwestern furniture, wrought iron, heavy wood, and antiques. Many have patios, balconies, and views of gardens or trains. Reasonable rates encourage long stays, allowing plenty of time to explore the art work, history, views, and large gift shop filled with handcrafted treasures including stunning jewelry and kachinas. New plans are afoot to expand the property with a museum, orchard, sculpture garden, and even a vineyard. It’s a perfect jumping off spot to explore nearby Native American ruins, the Petrified Forest and Painted Desert National Parks, and the 550 foot deep Meteor Crater just outside of town. No standing on the corner for you!

“You tell me that it’s evolution, well you know, we all want to change the world…” As the Beatles sang, if you want to change the world, try evolution. And if you want to change the quality of your hair care, and support the environment at the same time, there’s Evolution Salon in Hermosa Beach, CA. This is a spot whose keywords are organic, sustainable, and affordable.

Yes, Evolution offers all the bells and whistles men, women, and kids seek from their stylists, from Brazilian Blowouts to highlights, cuts, and color of all types. But this salon is different. You won’t have to worry about toxicity from fumes caused by Coppola Keratin Treatments or Brazilian Blowouts here. The salon offers a fume extractor designed to absorb and remove treatment vapors, such as formaldehyde and glutaraldehyde, and other gaseous pollutants such as hydrogen sulfide, ethylene, and mercaptans. Fans don’t do the trick, but a fume extractor like the one at Evolution, will. Less than 1% of LA area salons offer Brazilian Blowout in this safe an environment. The chemical capture system protects the breathing zone around the client and stylist, absorbing and containing chemical vapors, minimizing what’s known as “hair salon air,” cleansing the work station, and capturing pollutants not just in the air but those which sink toward the floor, due to the heaviness of the chemicals.

Salon owner, stylist, and salon director Rodilyn Basco-Wooldridge is also a certified Reiki practitioner, wife, and mother of 6, and she’s used all her skills and experience to create an eco friendly, green hair salon from her fume extractor to utilizing recycled furnishing components and installing infrared saunas to address her client’s whole body needs.

“ Becoming environmentally conscious and health conscious was at the top of my list when I decided to take the leap on my own. We recycle all recyclable materials, we choose recycled products whenever possible, and we purchased an air cleaner and fume extractor specifically designed to remove harmful chemicals from the air, keeping our stylists and clients safe,” Basco-Wooldridge states. Her hair care products are green-friendly, too. “Loma Organics hair care line is our main and biggest seller. It’s also is an environmentally conscious company, manufactured and bottled in the US, certified organic aloe vera based.”
All of Loma Organics products use aloe vera rather than a water base, are sulfate, sodium chloride, gluten, and paraben free, with natural UV protection and natural essential oils. Not only is the salon’s top seller color safe and keratin safe, too, it’s economical, available at less than half the cost of most salon products with a less environmentally friendly bent. So Evolution isn’t just about helping the environment stay green, it’s about keeping more green in clients’ pockets, too.

As Basco-Wooldridge explains “The Evolution name was chosen for a reason. It represents our philosophy and goals: constantly growing and contributing positive energy to humanity and our planet.”

The salon exudes a chill vibe, with easy appointment making, carefully selected, soothing music selections, and even water flavored with cucumber ice cubes. “I used a feng shui map, and arranged the salon to create a positive flow of energy,” Basco-Wooldridge notes. “And we wanted to take the salon beyond just hair care and into whole body care. We recently installed infrared saunas to allow our clients an affordable place to detox and relax, strengthen the body’s immune system, burn calories, and help to eliminate stress-related problems.”

In fact, according to USC’s Dr. Jeffery Spencer, infrared wavelengths create great therapeutic benefits increasing blood flow, delivering oxygen, and improving cell health. Not a component of an average hair salon, the infrared saunas here are a great fit with the holistic direction of the hair care offered at Basco-Wooldridge’s salon.

The LA County Museum is currently presenting an historical exhibit about the creation of the Venice Canals. I’m not talking about the gondolas of Italy, or the graceful Ponte di Rialto bridge stretching across the Grand Canal. No, I’m talking about Venice, CA, home to a low key series of canals, along which a mix of modern, million dollar and funky smaller properties line the waterways and bridges. Here you’ll find Buddha in a garden, a riot of purple flowers spilling into the walk way, a labyrinth of a neighborhood, and residents eating and hanging out in their water front lawns. My favorite spotting: a paddle boat tethered to a home front dock, shaped like a giant rubber ducky. Second favorite: a pair of paddle boat black swans.

The Venice Canals are hidden in plain sight, just off 25th street in Venice. Literally, if you weren’t looking for them you’d pass them by. There are five canals, each about a quarter mile long, and shallow. Fascinating and good for about an hour’s leisurely stroll, you might very well ask, as I did, why exactly are they there? Other than to look cool, that is.

Apparently millionaire Abbot Kinney – who now has a boulevard in Venice named after him and filled with tasty, off-beat, hip restaurants and busy boutiques and bars – founded Venice as a resort, digging the canals to drain marshland and provide a tourist attraction. He had others – a salt water plunge, a long pier which later burned, a dance hall, and a block long arcade – whose arches still stand.It was all part of a very elaborate design of which the canals were a big part. He developed a miniature railway, a hotel, an auditorium, and a swimming lagoon, overcoming harsh deadlines, a devastating winter storm setback, and more to create his vision, which opened for the 4th of July, 1905. Sadly in the 1920’s the city needed roads, and many canals were filled in, despite protest by residents, another example of Los Angeles making itself into a town built on the automobile. Thankfully, at least a few remain – Cabrillo, Altair, and Grand – to evoke the grandeur of this funky beach town’s Italian namesake. Until the 1990’s, those remaining canals fell into disrepair. It’s good to see them lined with gleaming homes and small gondolas, blooming with tangled flowers, and remarked upon by strolling couples, families, and eager photographers.

After walking the canals, pay homage to Abbot Kinney and stroll down his street. You can stop in for some crisp, thin crust pizza at the slightly oddball Gjelina, or walk on over to the Canal Club, just a block from the beach, a sushi bar plus mix of Mexican/Japanese fusion appetizers in a Frank Lloyd Wright conceived space. And then take a walk onto the Venice boardwalk, out onto the more recent incarnation of the pier, and imagine Abbot Kinney extolling the virtues of an artistic community modeled on Italian grace. It didn’t turn out quite the way he planned, but there’s plenty of artists – some of them street performers wearing silver body paint – and the feeling of living in a dream world that Kinney hoped to invoke. It’s just a California dream, not an Italianate one.

Just north east of downtown Los Angeles, in an old industrial area, you’ll find what was once a Pabst Blue Ribbon Brewery and what is now today a collection of artists lofts. Twice a year, I get to visit this cool eclectic place, when the artists open up for an art walk.

This is the ultimate in recycling – a former industrial space has become a great place for artists to live and work.

Galleries not your thing? Well how about galleries contained inside old warehouses and factory buildings, the huge smoke stack still labeled “Brewery” towering over make shift gardens and porches fronting what were once loading docks, an awesome Steam Punk style cavernous space filled with interactive gizmos including a crystal and china dinner party set on a moveable table on mammoth bicycle wheels, cool crafts and jewelry for sale, and many eclectic art pieces available for well under $100.

I love the mix of people here – families, hip art maven types, scruffy hipsters. And it’s free, yes, free – even the parking. I also love the opportunity to visit with the artists who show you not only their work but in many cases where they sleep and eat. From big lofts with capacious kitchens and views of the 5 Freeway with plenty of light, to small side buildings just this side of cozy with beds and book shelve chock a block with easels and dark rooms, this art walk gives you a glimpse into an actual artist’s life.

Some artists are extraordinarily accomplished, with sophisticated pieces you know you’re going to see a lot of in gallery shows and museums. Others are more rudimentary, just starting out, discussing what their art school professors think of their pieces.

It seems that every time I visit there are different studios open. There’s always something cool and approachable to consider buying or – gasp, even buy. Everything from a spooky gallery of severed doll heads that look like something out of a horror movie set to beautiful and evocative photos of Death Valley to contemporary jewelry all brushed silver and slate can be found in the maze-like configuration of the Brewery. There were clear plastic purses infused with battery operated winking neon for only $25, small squares of canvas filled with blooming flowers for $40, lithographs being created right before my eyes, a narrow metal suspension bridge connecting buildings, classic portraits, dream-like hyper-realistic landscapes of Haiti, spinning gears and gizmos, spray painted mannequins – you get the drift.

I loved talking to the artists about what inspired them, or what a piece meant. And it’s a great way to explore not just an enormous art colony inside a warren of an old factory but to explore a part of Los Angeles you’ll probably not venture into on your own. Oh, but just to know that it’s there – eclectic and a little bit crazy, sandwiched between freeway interchanges, warehouses, and trucking companies – it’s a much headier brew than the one originally manufactured here!

It’s that time – time for my recap of the Sundance Film Festival, in Park City, Utah which, having just turned thirty this year, remains the premiere mecca for independent film-making in the U.S. Many of the films I’m citing here will be viewable in your cineplex this summer.

The themes at this year’s Sundance Film Festival seemed to be music – and madness. Sometimes both in one film, as witnessed by the interactions of genius-musician-hidden-inside a large cartoon face mask in Frank, Irish director Lenny Abrahamson’s story of an exceedingly ill-fated band’s attempt to record a new album and perform at a music festival; or the rampaging shooter behind the blissful love songs of Rudderless, a heart-rending story of the power of talent and the love of a father, starring the quite brilliant Billy Cruddup.

But mostly these themes were separate, if large players in the 2014 fest. I had the pleasure of screening 28 films in 6.5 days, consuming Greek yogurt and Boom Chick A Pop’s organic, fat free popcorn, and the occasional spiked hot chocolate as physical sustenance along the way. You might call that crazy, too, but I look at it as Nirvana.
On the madness-only side, the highlight was Kumiko, Treasure Hunter, a beautiful, dream-like film, about a Japanese “office lady,” who discovers an old VHS tape of the Coen Brothers’ classic film Fargo, takes it is as truth, and goes on a search to for the treasure shown buried by Steve Buscemi. Depressed and disheveled, Kumiko’s tragi-comic search is leavened with brilliant supporting performances in Japan and the States, her obsessive plight pulling the viewer along for the ride. Always poetic, sometimes silly, sometimes sad, Kumiko’s quest is entirely believable through the performance of gifted star Rinko Kikuchi. Stunning visuals and a deep and abiding sense of loss, hope, and regret make this a film to seek out.

Another crazy lady of an entirely different stripe attempts to hold horror at bay in the Australian import The Babadook, starring powerhouse actress Essie Davis. She plays Amelia, mother of a seven year old boy, nursing home worker, and keeper of a dark secret – she lost her husband, Oskar (Benjamin Winspear), in a car accident as he was speeding her to hospital to give birth. Her son, Samuel (Noah Wiseman), is anathema to her, and the fact that his boyish acting out is often violent and volatile doesn’t exactly make him endearing. But is he right about the monster introduced through an alarming children’s story, The Babadook? Is he inside? Who is mad, mother or child? Jump in your seat scary, this neat, claustrophobic horror flick is intelligent and horrifying, both.

Whether it’s self-defeating madness or mere egotism eating away at Jason Schwartzman in Listen Up Phillip, it’s hard to tell. Voice over narration and sardonic, Woody Allen-ish wit tell the tale of a self-serving novelist who is impossible to live with, interacting with his genius slash narcissist mentor. And PTSD is the name of the game for Catherine Keener’s distressed, close to panicked war correspondent in War Story, wandering the streets of Sicily after she’s held hostage in Libya and a beloved friend killed. The vibrant laugh with them, cry with them comedy The Skeleton Twins also touches on madness, as Bill Hader and Krisin Wiig do a suicidal brother and sister act that’s both laugh out loud hilarious and heartbreaking. The Skeleton Twins ranked high in my festival favorites list. Far less effective was the dysfunctional family – manic mother, killer dad – envisioned in Shailene Woodley starrer White Bird in a Blizzard, whose surrealist images didn’t compensate for a weirdly conventional script.

Back on the music front, Anne Hathaway supports her injured musician brother by meeting and bedding his folk singer idol, in Song One, a slow out of the gate but poignant rumination on the meaning of life, music, love, and creativity. Things get a little bit crazy for depressed but recovering anorexic Eve, played by the delightful Emily Browning, in God Help the Girl. The very definition of quirky, this film is another of my favorites from the festival, an actual musical from Stuart Murdoch, front man of indie folk artists Belle & Sebastian. Yes, people actually sing, and the color pallette here is technicolor pop, and it works. The jubilant sound track can’t help but snap you out of any depression of your own. The winner of this year’s Sundance Festival U.S. Dramatic competition, Whiplash, told the harrowing drama about an aspiring drummer (Miles Teller) encouraged and abused by his professor (J.K. Simmons). Somewhere in this award winner’s genetic mix of music, passion, and anything-for-art is a coming of age story. Music was also present in Hits, an acerbic comedy riff on what lengths people will go to achieve fame, in which Katelyn (Meredith Hagner) seeks musical fame despite a lack of discernable talent, while her father gains unasked for fame by taking on his small New York town’s city council.

Of course there were standout films that played with neither music or madness, too. From the charming Iceland-set travels of the buddy film Land Ho to the pretty amazing, twelve years of filming that went into the creation of an actual Boyhood through the lens of Richard Linklater, and the awe-inspiring science and faith love story that was iOrigins, provocative and enormously entertaining films were everywhere you looked. I saw a lot of great films this festival, and will be singing the praises of many of these films with in-depth reviews still to come.

Baylee Nasco offered the cushiest pet beds in town and luxe pet blankets in jungle patterns and solid – the kind of pet care products that make every cat and dog into a celebrity. O.P.I Gwen Stefani Collection offered gorgeous new nail colors that included the one I got to try – a slate grey that was rock n’ roll spectacular. A note: I’ve tried the sparkle gold, a lavender, and a bold bronze in the past – they’re great colors. Loree Rodkin’s delightful fragrances, leather bracelets and cool tee shirts from Nash Motorcycles, and Transcend Organics heavenly pink grapefruit body scrub – quite a grab bag of wonderful gifting. Transcend’s mix of wild botanicals and organic, fair trade, essential oils is something quite, um, scent-ual. LA + Jo’s boutique fashion and Jockey’s trendy, stretchy boy-shorts were a great clothing match. And then there were C4 belts. Offering a thousand combinations of belts and buckles, the idea is to pick your colors and then choose a cause to support by wearing it. Wearers can choose one of four charities online to determine how the company gives back 10% of the purchase.

And speaking of giving back, the event supported two worthy causes: SAY YES! To Hope in support of BeatLiverTumors.com cancer survivors, and Fresh Step litters efforts to to raise money for the ASPCA. These efforts included the ability to cuddle with an adorable Catdance kitten, view beautiful adoptable kitties, and generally just get hypnotized by cat love. Tweeting and photo taking = effortless fund raising for a worthy cause.
Meanwhile, out on the patio, you could get a luxe body spray tan or even a tattoo. The organic tans and some pretty awesome eyebrow shaping were courtesy of Glendale’s The Eyebrow Boutique - where eye brow shaping is more of an art than at those mall chain threading emporiums you may be used to. The tattoos – from Perri Ink tattoo artist Adam Daniel. That perk I turned down – perhaps a few more cocktails from the Southmore Group at the bar and I would’ve gone for it.